Statement on the bill regulating the production, sale and consumption of marijuana in Uruguay

Brasília, 1
st August 2013 - In reference to the Uruguayan lower house's approval of the bill that regulates the production, sale and consumption of cannabis in Uruguay, UNODC's Liaison and Partnership Office in Brazil refers to the statement issued today by UNODC headquarters in Vienna and points out that:

International drug policies are set by the member countries of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the central policymaking body of the United Nations on this issue, therefore it is up to them to maintain or change any policies.

The bill on the regulation of production, sale and consumption of cannabis in Uruguay was partially approved yesterday by the lower house. It still needs to be submitted to a vote at the Senate and subsequent regulation by the Executive power.

While some aspects of the bill are compatible with the UN Drug Conventions of 1961, 1971 and 1988, others fall outside the parameters established by these conventions; for instance, the sale of cannabis for purposes other than for scientific research or medicinal use.

UNODC welcomes the discussion on this issue - a dialogue on how to move forward to stop drug traffickers and protect the health and welfare of people is clearly needed. But this dialogue should be conducted on the basis of the agreed conventions, in line with international law.

The CND will hold next year a high-level review of Member States' implementation of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on the world drug problem. It is our hope that Member States will take this opportunity to pursue a cooperative, coherent approach to addressing the challenges we collectively face.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) strives to achieve the fundamental principles of the UN - to safeguard health, human rights and justice in drugs and crime policy. The UN's objective is a balanced approach which promotes drug abuse prevention and treatment, while at the same time countering the production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.